Current medical research and opinion
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Comparative Study
Economic evaluation of etoricoxib versus non-selective NSAIDs in the treatment of ankylosing spondylitis in the UK.
To evaluate the cost-effectiveness of etoricoxib, a cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 selective inhibitor, versus non-selective nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (nsNSAIDs) in the treatment of ankylosing spondylitis (AS). ⋯ Given the underlying assumptions and data used, this economic evaluation demonstrated that, compared to nsNSAIDs, etoricoxib is a cost-effective therapy for AS patients in the UK.
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Many patients with Type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) delay and/or discontinue the use of insulin. This study determined patient-perceived barriers to the initiation of, and persistence with, insulin therapy. ⋯ These findings suggest that issues related to insulin injection are the primary reason patients with Type 2 DM discontinue insulin therapy. Understanding these patterns is important to develop interventions to overcome barriers to treatment and improve the medical outcomes of patients with Type 2 DM.
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Clinical Trial
Long-term efficacy of insulin glargine therapy with an educational programme in type 1 diabetes patients in clinical practice.
To investigate the effect of initiating insulin glargine (glargine: LANTUS), a once-daily basal insulin analogue, plus an educational programme, on glycaemic control and body weight in patients with type 1 diabetes in clinical practice. ⋯ In this retrospective study of medical records, patients with type 1 diabetes treated with insulin glargine over 30 months in combination with educational support and close clinical supervision decreased their HbA(1c) levels without weight gain versus previous treatment with NPH insulin or insulin lente. Further studies in a larger cohort of patients would help to confirm these results.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Incidence and costs of polypharmacy: data from a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of risperidone and quetiapine in patients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder.
The use of adjunctive psychotropics and the costs of polypharmacy in patients randomized to receive risperidone or quetiapine were compared in a placebo-controlled double-blind study conducted in India, Romania, and the United States. ⋯ The results confirm earlier reports of higher rates of polypharmacy with quetiapine than with risperidone. The findings also reveal substantial between-treatment differences in costs associated with polypharmacy. Limitations of the study include that the study was of short duration and that a high proportion of patients were recruited from countries other than the United States.
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Atypical antipsychotics are playing an increasing role in the treatment of bipolar disorder. The objective of this study was to assess the medication treatment patterns and costs associated with different atypical antipsychotics. ⋯ Antipsychotic medication use patterns were statistically significantly different among atypical antipsychotics in the usual treatment of bipolar disorder. Olanzapine appears to be more likely used as a monobipolar medication compared with risperidone, quetiapine, and ziprasidone. The annual healthcare costs associated with the treatment of bipolar disorder by olanzapine and risperidone were similar, and the costs of these treatments were lower than with quetiapine or ziprasidone.